ong us looked pale
and broken in spirits. On the fourth or fifth day, I think it was, from
that on which the gale commenced, the purser's steward, on getting up
provisions, found that the salt water had spoiled all the bread, while
many of the casks with fresh water had broken loose and their contents
were lost.

To try and stop the leaks, Captain Drury ordered the only spare mainsail
to be fothered and drawn under the ship's bottom. To prepare it a
quantity of oakum was spread over the sail, and stitched down by the
sail-makers, thus forming what seemed like an enormous mat. This was
lowered over the bows, and gradually hauled under the ship's bottom,
where the leaks were supposed to be the worst. We all looked anxiously
for the result. Though, in addition to the pumps, a gang of men were
set to bale, the water still continued to gain on us. In spite of this,
neither officers nor men appeared to lose heart.

"The gale will come to an end some day," cried Captain Drury, "and we
must keep the ship afloat till then. We should be cowards to give in."

He did his best to speak in his usual cheery tone, but even his voice
was more husky than usual, and it was easy to see that he didn't say
what he thought. At last many of the men were seen to desert the pumps.

"Come, Paddy," said Tom Pim, "we must not let them do that. You and I
will take their places and shame them back."

We turned to, and worked away till our arms ached. "Spell ho!" we
cried, and, catching hold of two men, we dragged them back to the pumps.
Nettleship did the same with others. The lieutenants were constantly
going about trying to keep the crew at work. Some of them behaved
exactly as those aboard the _Cerberus_ had done before she was lost, and
were about to lash themselves into their hammocks. The first lieutenant
and the boatswain, going round, quickly routed them out, and they
returned to their duty, either to pump or bale.

The carpenter and his mates, assisted by the boatswain, were attempting
to get at the leaks, but even they at last abandoned their efforts on
finding them hopeless.

Captain Drury, who had been to visit Captain Bouchier, now returned on
deck, and ordered the guns to be hove overboard to lighten the ship.
All hands not engaged in pumping were employed in this duty. One by one
they were sent plunging into the sea, and the big seventy-four was left
at the mercy of the smallest privateer afloat. This gave the shi